ARTICLE 15 - JOINT COMMITTEES

15.01  Purpose

    It is the desire of the Employer and the Labor Council to maintain the highest standards of safety and professionalism in the delivery of service to the citizens of Ohio.

15.02  Composition and Conduct of Labor/Management Committee

    For each department that has more than fifty (50) employees in the bargaining unit, the Department and the Labor Council shall each appoint four (4) members to the Labor/Management Committee. The purpose of this committee is to provide a means of continuing communication between the parties and for promoting a climate of constructive employee-employer relations. This committee will meet as frequently as the parties feel necessary but not less than twice yearly, and discuss any issues which either party wishes to raise relating to the Department provided that no agreement may be reached on any matter that would alter in any way the terms of this Agreement. Neither party has an obligation to act upon the issues raised.

    It is the intent of both the Employer and the Labor Council that the Labor/Management Committees act responsibly to resolve issues. The Office of Collective Bargaining will provide assistance to the committees as requested regarding resources and techniques in dispute resolution.

    The Labor/Management Committee may decide to expand its membership on an as-needed basis for a temporary period. These members will be paid their regular rate of pay. All meetings will be held while committee members and sub-committee members are in work status.

15.03  Quality Service Through Partnership (QStP)

A.        Commitment

    The Employer and the Union are mutually committed to continual improvement of quality of state provided services through a joint partnership involving union leaders and staff and the bargaining unit members they represent, agency directors and their agency management staff at  all levels of their organizations. This partnership of union and management shall be known as the Quality Services through Partnership (QStP) program, and it shall be the primary quality improvement process utilized in agencies with FOP bargaining unit employees. QStP will be jointly developed, implemented and monitored. It is recognized by the parties that QStP is a separate process from the normal collective bargaining and contract administration procedures. The purpose of the QStP program will be to establish a quality work culture and environment which allows for a collaboration of management and bargaining unit talents through use of the quality process and procedures to develop and deliver quality services through union and management teamwork and employee involvement and empowerment. As a result of their mutual commitment to improving quality services, no employee will lose employment solely as the result of his activities, actions or recommendations generated under a QStP process.

B.        Scope of Activities

    No QStP or Problem Solving Team will have authority to discuss change, modify or infringe upon issues which are related to wages, hours and terms and conditions of employment. Whenever a matter covered by a collective bargaining agreement is raised in a QStP Quality Improvement Process Team (QIP) or Problem Solving Process Team (PSP), the matter shall be suspended until the members of the Statewide Steering Committee have expressly agreed to continued involvement in the matter by the QIP or PSP Team. The following represent general examples of items or issues which may or may not be worked on by QStP teams:

    Whenever there is discussion over off limit activities as stated above, or other matters which are normally reserved to the collective bargaining process, no final decision or action shall be taken except through the grievance or collective bargaining process as agreed to by the parties.

C.        Steering Committees

    The Quality Services through Partnership Program will be directed by a Joint State Steering Committee composed of an equal number of management appointees and representatives of each of the unions representing State employees that choose to participate in the program. The parties may mutually agree to add members to the committee who represent outside interests (e.g. legislative representation, private sector, etc.). Each agency shall also have a Joint Agency Steering Committee. The number and composition of the committee will be determined by a consensus of the state steering committee membership. Each party shall determine its own representatives who will serve on the statewide, agency and other QStP Committees. Time spent on authorized QStP matters shall be considered time worked. Whenever possible, state and agency steering committee meetings will be held between the hours of 8:00 a.m. and 5:00 p.m., Monday through Friday, and employees will have their regular schedule adjusted to coincide with these meetings.

    Steering Committees at each level will have the responsibility for the development of plans and activities for the implementation of principles and processes described in Section 15.03 of this Article, as well as the review of plans developed by subordinate steering committees and the oversight of QStP activities within their jurisdiction. QStP issues and matters which are not resolved at the steering committee level may be referred to the next higher steering committee level for assistance and advice.

D.        Training

    Training for all managers, supervisors, employees and union leaders and staff in the concepts, skills and techniques of the QStP processes and procedures will be conducted at the Employer's expense. It is the intent of this agreement that insofar as it is practical, bargaining unit leadership and their exempt counterparts (e.g. local Union president and officers and superintendent, assistant superintendent or other senior staff members will attend the same training). Whenever possible, the training in QStP matters will be presented by a joint union/management team, members of which will be designated by each party. The training will consist of the training offered or authorized through the State Office of Quality, as authorized by the Joint Steering Committee.

E.         Employment Security Assurances

    No bargaining unit member shall lose employment solely as the result of actions or recommendations from participation in a QStP QIP or PSP process. If jobs are changed, altered or eliminated, management shall attempt to find other suitable employment within the employee's office, institution or county, or geographical jurisdiction, in that order for those employees affected;  and as necessary, their pay shall be set in accordance with Article 55.  Employees shall not be subjected to loss of pay or layoff pending suitable placement under this Section.